[Tradjazz] Young trad musicians

[Bruce McNichols]

Nancie,

Yes, Jonathan Russell is amazing.  The musicians speak very highly of him, and that's impressive, because traditionally, a kid will steal the show, just by virtue of being a kid.

Speaking of seeing jazz in NYC, did you every go to the Central Plaza?  It was on the lower east side, upstairs.  Every Fri. & Sat. night, they'd have three or more bands playing.  I think the admission price was something like 85 cents!  As if that wasn't good enough, you could bring your own booze!  What a heavenly blessing, for us destitute musicians.  

Among others I saw there, were Wild Bill, Eddie Condon, Conrad Janis, Cutty Cutshall, Sol Yaged, George Wettling, Cliff Leeman, and on and on.

The place was run by the late Jack Crystal, who worked at the famed Commodore Record Shop.  Jack's son Billy, went on to fame.

I never made it to the Stuyvesant Casino, but I heard about it.  I loved Jimmy Ryan's (the one on 52nd Street) and saw the Wilbur DeParis Band there.  Now there's a band that I loved.  Later, after that Ryan's had closed, we used to go over to the Broken Drum, on the Upper East Side, where the DeParis band played every night.  Our gigs ended around midnight and those guys played until about 2:30.  What a thrill, to be able to see and hear them, just about any time.
  We used their drummer, Wilbert Kirk, on many gigs. Their banjo man, Eddie Gibbs, was with us for about a year.  Good guys, all.
What a time that was.  I came onto the scene, at the very end of the 52nd Street Years.  Even at that, the city offered a wealth of classic jazz.  I'm sure that we've missed a load of places.  If we don't think of them soon, our brethren on this list, will surely let us know what we've forgotten to mention.

McN


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: baglady4 at juno.com 
  To: tradjazz at list.okom.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 6:00 PM
  Subject: [Tradjazz] Young trad musicians


  Loving the thread of the old radio shows, and especially the great venues in NYC in the 40's and 50's...growing up in Ridgewood, NJ, it was an easy bus ride into the city, and as long as I went with my older brother, my parents had no problem with our many trips to Nicks, Condons, Stuvesant Casino, Ryans etc.  

  Regarding young musicians, don't overlook Jonathan *Jazz* Russell who is 11 (maybe 12 by now) and can trade fours with the best of them!!!  Kenny Davern thought HE could trip up Johnathan.....NOT!!!! 

  Though I have not heard them in person, the all gal group Aprhrodite (sp?) has performed at many festivals to rave reviews. I have heard a *cut* on line and these gals ARE good.

  Just my $.02

  Nancie
  in Bloomfield, NJ







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